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By country in the UK

Hodgkin lymphoma accounts for 0.2% of all deaths from cancer in the UK (2012).1-3 Hodgkin lymphoma accounts for 0.2% of all male deaths from cancer in the UK (2012), and also accounts for 0.2% of all female cancer deaths in the UK (2012).

In 2012, there were 328 deaths from Hodgkin lymphoma in the UK (Table 2.1): 175 (53%) in men and 153 (47%) in women, giving a male:female ratio of around 11:10.1-3 The crude mortality rate shows that there are 0.6 cancer deaths for every 100,000 males in the UK, and 0.5 for every 100,000 females.

By age

Hodgkin lymphoma mortality is strongly related to age, with the highest mortality rates being in older men and women. The incidence peak observed in young adults in the UK is not reflected in mortality rates. The patterns in age-specific mortality reflect the much better survival rates for Hodgkin lymphoma in young adults. In the UK between 2010 and 2012, an average of 35% of Hodgkin lymphoma deaths were in men and women aged 75 years and over, and over two-thirds (68%) were in those aged 60 years and over (Figure 2.1).1-3

Age-specific mortality rates rise gradually from around age 10-14 in both sexes, and then more sharply from around age 50-54, with the highest rates in the 85+ age group in both sexes. Mortality rates are similar in males and females in most age groups, though low numbers prevent meaningful analysis between the sexes (Figure 2.1).1-3

Figure 2.1: Hodgkin Lymphoma (C81), Average Number of Deaths per Year and Age-Specific Mortality Rates, UK, 2010-2012

Trends over time

Hodgkin lymphoma mortality rates have decreased overall in the UK since the early 1970s (Figure 2.2).1-3 For males, European AS mortality rates decreased by 77% between 1971-1973 and 2010-2012. The decline is similar for females, with rates decreasing by 71% between 1971-1973 and 2010-2012. Over the last decade (between 2001-2003 and 2010-2012), European AS mortality rates have remained stable in both males and females.

A key reason for the decline is the reclassification of Hodgkin lymphoma types as non-Hodgkin lymphoma.5 However, there are likely to be several other reasons including: improvements in diagnosis and staging methods; advances in treatment using combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy; and the identification of prognostic factors to help tailor treatments. All of these have led to an improvement in survival.6

Hodgkin lymphoma mortality rates have decreased overall for all of the broad age groups in the UK since the early 1970s (Figure 2.3).1-3The largest decreases have been in people aged under 60, with European AS mortality rates decreasing by around 84% in those aged 15-39 and 82% in those aged 40-59, between 1971-1973 and 2010-2012. In those aged 60 and over, mortality rates over the last decade (2001-2003 to 2010-2012) have begun to increase. This change is significant for people aged 70-79, with rates increasing by 32% in this age group. This reflects the larger increase in incidence rates in older age groups over the last decade, but may also be influenced by older patients tending to receive less intensive treatment, tolerating treatment less well, and perhaps having more biologically aggressive disease, compared with younger patients.

In Europe and worldwide

There were around 4,600 deaths from Hodgkin lymphoma in Europe in 2012 (0.3% of total cancer deaths). In Europe (2012), the highest World age-standardised mortality rates for Hodgkin lymphoma are in Greece for men and Ukraine for women; the lowest rates are in Iceland, Montenegro, Malta and Luxembourg for men and also Montenegro, Malta and Luxembourg for women. UK Hodgkin Lymphoma mortality rates are estimated to be the 19th lowest in males in Europe, and 13th highest in females.16 These data are broadly in line with Europe-specific data available elsewhere.15

There were around 25,500 deaths from Hodgkin lymphoma worldwide in 2012 (0.3% or total cancer deaths). Hodgkin lymphoma mortality rates are highest in Western Asia and lowest in Micronesia and Polynesia, but this partly reflects varying data quality worldwide.16

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